If green is your favourite colour, Ranchi could be the ideal getaway. The Jharkand capital is easily accessible from Calcutta by rail or road. With plenty of budget hotels, accommodation is no problem.

We took the Shatabdi Express that meandered past picturesque scenes and reached Ranchi around 1.30pm. Ranchi is surrounded by beautiful waterfalls and lakes.

The next day, we set off at 10am for Hundru Fall, a big tourist attraction.

It was raining heavily since morning and we started after much debate. We took the Ranchi-Purulia Road and drove towards Namkum and Tatsilwari and then took a left turn towards Hundru Fall. The waterfall is situated about 45 km from Ranchi. We passed quaint little villages, where cattle stood huddled under thatched roofs or trees in the rain.

The road to the fall made for a bumpy ride, but the view from the car window made up for the discomfort. We expected to pass through remote tribal villages, but were surprised to witness the rampant signs of modernisation in these areas. A number of schools dotted both sides of the road.

The forest cover was not very dense here and we got a lovely view of the hills — they seemed just an arm’s length away!

We reached Hundru Fall after an hour. We had a quick but sumptuous lunch at a little dhaba with chapattis, rice, dal, fried potatoes, vegetables and country chicken curry. We were requested to engage a guide — 70-year-old Ram Prasad — so that the old villager could earn some money. He climbed down and again up the 500-plus steps leading to the waterfall without stopping to catch his breath, while we huffed and puffed our way behind him, much to his amusement.

The first descent towards the fall offers a panoramic view of the valley with the Subarnarekha flowing below. On a clear day, one can see lush green hills at a distance, but on a rainy day we could not see very far.

As we got closer to the waterfall, we could hear the roar of the water and the stairs gave way to flat rocks. At Hundru, Subarnarekha falls from a height of around 320ft, forming a pool below. The waterfall and the pool seemed so serene that it was hard to believe that the place turns rough during monsoon. The water fell in cascades along two lines, one much thicker and wider than the other. After clicking some pictures we climbed back, had a hearty meal and then left for Johna Fall, an hour’s drive from Hundru.

The road took us back towards Ranchi till we reached a ‘T’-shaped crossing and turned left.

The road towards Johna is in a better condition. Close to the fall, there is a huge sign welcoming visitors to Johna and Sita Falls. We took a right turn and drove towards Johna.

The area around Johna seems to have been untouched by the human hand. The thick green forest, with raindrops dripping from the leaves and the contrasting deep brown soil was a photographer’s delight.

We first climbed several steps and then descended 600-plus steps. The tourism ministry has constructed a proper flight of steps leading to the base of the fall, thus making it possible for the elderly to also visit the spot. But one has to be extra careful as the steps do not have banisters.

The waterfall is beautiful and gentle, making it possible for tourists to go very close to the fall and even bathe near it. The silence of the place was punctuated by the chirping of birds.

Our next destination was a crocodile breeding centre, Mutta Muggar, in Ormanjhi. The drive took us back to Ranchi and then via the Army Cantonment at Dipatoli. It was more than an hour’s drive.

The road leading to the breeding centre is narrow with thick forests on either side. A lone forest guard at the centre showed us around. The centre was started with three crocodiles from Bihar and two from Chennai. Now there are over 50 reptiles.

Going

Take a train and get down at Ranchi station. Shatabdi Express is an option. Auto-rickshaws and hired cars are available for sightseeing. Car hire charges for a day are between Rs 1,500 and 2,500.

Staying

Hotels to suit different budgets are available. Some options are Capitol Hill (Rs 4,000), Hotel Yuvraj Palace (Rs 3,000) and Sai Heritage Hotel (Rs 1,400).